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Essay / Donne's Holy Sonnet XIV as a Proclamation of Intimacy with God
“Holy Sonnet Donne's choice of words in this poem insinuates that he desires a platonically intimate relationship with God, but the ambiguous meanings of the words could be understood as Donne's desire for God to sexually abuse him. The sexual images used by Donne are so abusive that they could also be described as rape images. Donne also uses religious and sexual depictions to further emphasize the closeness he desires to have with God. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Donne uses harsh language in “Holy Sonnet XIV” to show that he is enamored with the idea of God abusing him in a sexual way. Donne wants God to strike his heart repeatedly instead of kindly asking Donne to come into God's arms and accept God's word. In the book of Revelation, God says in Revelation: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him , and he with me." (Revelation.3.20). God is a benevolent being, a shining figure, who seeks to mend broken souls, emphasized in verse two when Donne says in the poem "for now, knock, breathe , shine and seek to repair” (Donne verse 2) telling God to force His way into Donne’s soul is the opposite of what God is described as doing in the biblical texts. 'abusing him, the opposite of what God is described as doing, because he feels he does not deserve God's love. Donne also compares himself to a city that he wishes God would usurp from him. or takes away from him Donne is the usurper of his love and belief in God, which is this city, and mentions in the poem that the city belongs to another, the owner being God. He then states that he is working to admit God, but is having difficulty. This goes back to the first line, where Donne says "strike my heart, three-person God" (Donne line 1) because smiting also refers to attacking a city's fortress. The use of these harsh words in the poem, such as beat, throw, bend, break, blow, burn, divorce, unknot, shatter, take, imprison, captivate, ravish, creates a violent image of God. Another example of the harsh language used by Donne is found in lines four and five of the poem. Donne wants God to take back his old, irreparable soul to make room for a new soul. The harsh alliteration that Donne uses in the fourth line of the poem shows how much he wants God to be with him, which suggests sexual violence. Donne wants God to use his strength to “break, blow, burn, and recreate” (Donne line 4). This describes the desire for God to dominate Donne in a sexual way, evident when, in the poem, Donne says "throw me and bend/your strength, to break, to blow, to burn" (Donne lines 4-5). Donne wants God to break him into fragments, blow his dust onto the ground, and burn his remains. He wants God to do this because he wants God to refashion him in the image by violent means so that God will take him back. The repetition of the initial sound in line four of the poem shows the reader the sexual punishment he wishes to receive from God. In lines seven and eight of “Holy Sonnet XIV,” Donne speaks of his unfaithful relationship with God. The way the relationship is described is more like a humanized marital relationship and not a more religious relationship with God in the traditional sense. Donne tells God that reason is his governor and should defend him, but he is imprisoned..